1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to a battery pack construction, and a method of using it. The invention more particularly relates to a battery pack construction for use in a harsh environment with an electrical device, and which can be securely attached to the electrical device quickly and conveniently according to the method of the present invention.
2. Background Art
The use of electrical devices, such as communication devices, in the fast food industry has enabled restaurant employees to serve customers in an efficient manner. Such devices have been powered by either rechargeable or non-rechargeable battery cells coupled directly to the devices to increase the mobility of the employee using the device. The rechargeable battery cells have been especially desirable as they can be used over extended periods of time with recharging, and can be coupled to the electrical devices relatively easily
The rechargeable battery cells have been contained in battery packs which were capable of being coupled removeably to the device. In this way, a battery pack with a depleted battery cell was detached from the device and replaced with a battery pack having recharged battery cell. By maintaining at least one battery pack with a recharged battery cell in reserve, the electrical device was capable of substantially continuous operation for prolonged periods of time by exchanging battery packs when necessary.
While the removable battery packs enabled the devices to be operated for extended periods of time, the harsh environment of fast food restaurants substantially reduced the operational life of the battery packs. Restaurant employees, typically young adults, subjected the devices and the attached battery packs to constant physical abuse while attempting to complete customer orders in the shortest amount of time possible. The battery pack was especially susceptible to damage upon accidental detachment from the device. Once detached, the battery pack was vulnerable to being damaged, including damage caused by a hard ground surface upon impact, by a crushing blow imparted by an employee accidentally stepping on the detached battery pack, or by the detached battery pack falling onto a hot cooking surface.
Furthermore, the battery pack was susceptible to being inadvertently discharged when detached from the device. In this regard, battery contacts on the battery pack were capable of contacting an electrically conductive surface, such as a metal counter in a restaurant, when the battery pack was detached from the device.
Therefore, it would be highly desirable to have a new and improved battery pack construction which can be securely, conveniently and removeably attached to an electrical device, and a method of using it. Such a battery pack construction should substantially prevent accidental discharge when detached from the device.